A Day in the NBA

Now that the NBA regular season is winding down and the playoffs are looming near, I am heartened with the performance of my favorite teams: the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls.
The Pistons won many fans with their balanced play (teamwork still works wonders!!!), which is a rarity in the rarefied atmosphere of the NBA with Kobe Bryant desperately trying to carry the full weight of his team on his shoulders when it is obvious that one man can never win a championship. The Bad Boys from Detroit appeared on course to break the 72-win record notched by the Chicago Bulls helmed then by his Airness (one of the reasons why I have been a long-time Bulls fan). They were the first team of the 2005-2006 season to pick 60 victories (I wonder if the Mavericks, Suns and Spurs would do the same).
But the Pistons faltered mid-season, to the delight of their critics, until their play was soon characterized by cycles of winning streaks punctuated by a loss before they picked momentum again and demolished the teams in their path before lossing again. With a deep bench and all starters pouring in points, it is difficult to read the Pistons' battle plan. Setting your best defender against, say, Chauncy Billups or Rip Hamilton, will open opportunities for his teammates and Chauncy and Rip are not the only reliable shooters in the team. This must be the dilemma of the coaches who face them: how to effectively contain their offense and evade their stifling defense.
Their starting line-up also achieved another milestone in the elite league when four of them were picked to play in the All-Stars (all five deserved to be in the All-Star). This team is definitely the team to watch and beat in the playoffs and if you were in Detroit, you better start buying tickets for the Finals.
As for the Baby Bulls (christened because of the relatively young line-up!!), well, I have given up hope on them after the All-Star. But lo and behold!!! The young warriors are now relentless hounding Allen Iverson and Company for the eight playoff spot. They have beaten the seventh-place Pacers today in a spectacular victory engineered by Ben Gordon. And the loss of the Sixers increased their chances of not taking an early break. They don't seem to mind that they might face the powerful Pistons. They just want to make it to the playoffs!!! Now, that's the spirit!!!
Just wish that I will be in Chicago or Detroit!!! But there's the Internet.